Most families have a “cool uncle.”
He’s around for all the fun events and helps out when available. The kids look up to him and can relate to him on a level different from their parents.
In a sense, that’s what Parker McLachlin has been for the UCLA men’s golf team this season.
The PGA Tour pro and winner of the 2008 Legends Reno-Tahoe Open joined the program as a volunteer assistant this offseason after he was approached by head coach Derek Freeman.
“Over the summer I played four events and missed all four cuts, shooting under par every week,” explained McLachlin. “So I thought, ‘I need to think of something else to do.’”
He spent a week with the team in the fall and his role has progressed from there.
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“A handful of players will send me videos and I’ll help them with their short games if they’re struggling,” said McLachlin, who also noted the guys will Facetime him for help when he’s not around. “For me, it’s great because I love their energy. It’s infectious, I love that. I’ve been playing professionally for 15 or 16 years and it’s nice to be reminded why we play this game and the love we have for it.”
During Sunday’s opening round of the Southern Highlands Collegiate, one of the most competitive tournaments in men’s college golf, McLachlin was one of the on-course coaches for the Bruins alongside assistant coach Andrew Larkin while head coach Derek Freeman sat out.
McLachlin doesn’t see coaching college golf in his future despite his early success, claiming no credit for the Bruins opening-round performance. UCLA sat in third after a blustery day in Las Vegas, four shots back from Day 1 leader USC.
His message was simple: Every shot counts.
“A one-foot putt counts the same as a 320-yard drive. They all count the same, so give it 100% focus and attention,” said McLachlin. “Don’t let up on any shot. They did that really well.”
While Freeman agreed with the “cool uncle” analogy, one player had a slightly more flattering take.
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“(McLachlin) definitely helps because obviously he’s a coach to us and a mentor, but he’s almost like a fifth-year,” said freshman Tony Hendricks. “He’s super cool, keeps it really calm and is a great guy. When he wants to talk about golf, we talk about golf. His expertise is great, and I trust him with everything. He’s seen it all from four years at UCLA to the Tour, he puts things in simple terms. He doesn’t over-think everything, which really makes me comfortable. As we walk down the fairway we just talk about whatever and it calms us down.”
Topics included everything from UCLA basketball to music – specifically the Red Hot Chili Peppers – and campus life at UCLA.
“We talked about how old he was,” said Hendricks with a laugh, “because we were comparing dorm buildings. He asked if one building was still there and I said ‘yeah, it’s one of the oldest buildings on campus.’”
For perspective, Hendricks is an 18-year-old freshman. McLachlin is 40 and finished at UCLA 18 years ago in 2002.
“These guys are so much better than we were 20 years ago, I swear,” said McLachlin, pointing to the improvements in technology. “Their golf IQ’s are so much higher, but with that said, they’re still 20 year olds. They still need help.”
A Scottsdale resident, McLachlin will be back with the team in April when the Bruins travel to the Wyoming Cowboy Classic in Chandler, Arizona, and the Thunderbird Collegiate in Phoenix. Meanwhile, his next start on Tour will come at the end of March at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship in the Dominican Republic, held opposite the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Around those events, he’ll be teaching.
“I get notes on Instagram every day from people who want short game lessons, so I’m staying busy with that,” said McLachlin, the @shortgamechef on Instagram. “Spending time teaching and prepping for tournaments, I’m staying busy.”
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